IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR TRAVEL CHANNEL TO FALSIFY ROLLER COASTER SHOOTS

Cool. Then focus on that and chalk the rest up to experience. It's a bummer, but not really a violation of any kind. Next time you'll know how it works.

Did you appear at all in the show, even if it wasn't while you were on the ride?

Tyler Boes said:

Did you appear at all in the show, even if it wasn't while you were on the ride?

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Not at all. None of the ACE people did even though the film crew shot footage beforehand asking what people who'd previously ridden Skyrush thought of it and what people who hadn't expected to get out of it, and then again after a couple of rides. Yes, I've overreacted and will chalk it up to experience. I just didn't know it at the time but now I know that the only reason the ACE people were involved is that the film crew wanted bodies to fill the train and going through ACE was easier than advertising.

This reminds me of when I endured seventeen rides in a row on Son of Beast for a Travel Channel shoot. The "talent" got all the airtime and I didn't appear.

Now, THAT's sad!

RCMAC said:

This reminds me of when I endured seventeen rides in a row on Son of Beast for a Travel Channel shoot. The "talent" got all the airtime and I didn't appear.

Now, THAT's sad!

17 rides in a row on SOB? Jeez! I wonder who the "talent" is anyway. Paid actors? I'd be willing to bet that the 3 friends at the Skyrush shoot never even met one another before it happened.

What ratings did you give Skyrush on Travel Channel's thrill meters?

The whole point of bang an extra is just that. You're there to make the train look full, as if it was an open, regular operating time. They don't want enthusiasts with ACE shirts, bright green and red polka dot hats, gravy stains and "SINGLE RIDER #62" ironed on everything, etc.

My guess? You're overreacting, and/or you looked directly into the camera lens during the shoot. That is the ultimate no-no.

Tyler Boes said:

What ratings did you give Skyrush on Travel Channel's thrill meters?

[/quote

The very highest. It's the most intense coaster I've ever ridden. Oddly enough, more intense in some ways than a ride like Kingda Ka. I predicted in advance, however, that Leviathan - which I've never ridden - would win the competition. I also predicted that Skyrush would beat Griffon, which I have ridden. If Roller Coaster Database is to be trusted, Travel Channel erred in stating that the 4th entry, Colossos, was the fastest wooden coaster at 63mph. El Toro is faster at 70mph and I think that The Voyage is also faster than Colossos.

^ ^ seriously, Tyler?

Yes, Bobbie, they are paid actors. We watched them interact, (tv is a lot of waiting around) and they were getting aquainted. They were young and attractive, of course, and had semi-scripted things to say. The arrivals into the station and the on the spot interviews were staged. One of the girls didn't even particularly like roller coasters. But she was cute.

Me and my two kids did the shoot on I305 at Kings through ACE in October. We watched the episode and aside from a split second shot where I can be seen, that was it. When we were there the morning of the shoot the temp was around 40 degrees. They asked us all to dress down into more summer like clothes because it was suppose to be happening in the summer. The group they chose to focus on were some local actors that answered an ad on the local craigslist down in the Doswell area, my kids struck up a conversation with them in between filming. The whole point of us being there was to ride the coasters, we did dress down in the hopes that it might help our chances of being in the final episode, but there was no expectation of being on TV.

I will say that riding front seat in 40 degree temps at 8 something in the morning will certainly wake your ass up! Me and the kids made the best of it and had a great time. I know that we had to sign a contract and have our picture taken with the contract prior to participating, I am sure that somewhere in the fine print there was a disclosure about not making it to the final cut or the possibility of being photoshopped. In the end it was our first event with a coaster club and turned out to be a pretty good experience. The following day we participated in the shoot for the launch coaster that goes up through the building. Who knows when that airs maybe we will make that cut, but if we don't I sure won't be looking to sue somebody!!!

If it makes you feel better, I waltzed into Kings Island for Delirium's media shoot and had to endure 8 hours and only 7 rides because I was too sick to keep riding.

Of course, I did end up on Wendy's cups and placemats that advertised Delirium in the Cincy area. And was on the promo material for Delirium from KI. So at least I got that.

~Rob

GoPostal said:

Me and my two kids did the shoot on I305 at Kings through ACE in October. We watched the episode and aside from a split second shot where I can be seen, that was it. When we were there the morning of the shoot the temp was around 40 degrees. They asked us all to dress down into more summer like clothes because it was suppose to be happening in the summer. The group they chose to focus on were some local actors that answered an ad on the local craigslist down in the Doswell area, my kids struck up a conversation with them in between filming. The whole point of us being there was to ride the coasters, we did dress down in the hopes that it might help our chances of being in the final episode, but there was no expectation of being on TV.

I will say that riding front seat in 40 degree temps at 8 something in the morning will certainly wake your ass up! Me and the kids made the best of it and had a great time. I know that we had to sign a contract and have our picture taken with the contract prior to participating, I am sure that somewhere in the fine print there was a disclosure about not making it to the final cut or the possibility of being photoshopped. In the end it was our first event with a coaster club and turned out to be a pretty good experience. The following day we participated in the shoot for the launch coaster that goes up through the building. Who knows when that airs maybe we will make that cut, but if we don't I sure won't be looking to sue somebody!!!

I had a similar experience at a Nitro shoot, exactly one week after the Skyrush shoot. Travel Channel always wants it to look like summer so I rode the coaster in a lightweight T-shirt in 40-degree temperatures. This was not so good because we had to be there by 6:30am and it took the film crew 3 hours to set up, so we were all standing around freezing.

At least I had no expectations whatsoever of getting on camera, as the film crew did not speak to anyone except the 4 whom they had hired as the talent. I guess I should count my blessings, as the crew for this shoot was so inefficient that we got in only 4 rides on Nitro as opposed to the 11 I got on Skyrush.

I've answered LOTS of Craigslist ads and I've never gotten to be on tv even once.
Well,...I don't think, anyway...
;-)

I read the original post, and can't believe that anyone would think a roller coaster program would have good intentions, when actually it is nothing more than a half hour, to an hour long commercial for parks that paid to be on the program. As I have watched man of these programs, and know that there are many other rides and coasters that are better than ones that were on the shows.

I kinda laughed when I heard that you think you got cut from a video shot, Bobbie1951, as most video producers will take over a dozen shots of the same scene and will watch them many times to pick the one that they like. Your ride was obviously not the one they selected.

I have a friend who was actually on a TV program, and she had to do the same scene, and the same lines, 18 times, before the director found what he liked in it. What was only a half hour show took 7 hours to film. So they can be pretty picky. Waiting for just the right lighting, the right tone, the right look. If they don't want you hair covering you face in the wind, chances are they will do a retake, or drop the scene and pic another.

Also being current is not big on the travel channels list of things that they, and the parks want. As if you watch them, most of them use old coaster footage. Like rehashed scenes of the new Mean Streak on previous programs, and not the ride as it has aged. I have also seen the same Montu footage on many programs.

I also saw a show on the Raptor at Cedar Point, and they were interviewing riders after the ride. I watched the show, and then went to the park, and saw every single rider on that show, working at the park. So, it's all just a big commericial. Like the footage of the Raven with their Santa Clause riding it on one program. They are going to pick and choose who they want.

I got asked to be in a Meijer promotional video, for their pizza pan, and I spent an hour holding a laminated pizza, and turning it in different directions, for lighting and smiling. And, when they showed the video, the only part of me that was in it was my hands.

So, when They asked me to do another one. I said NO!!

Just become a hand model.

Seriously, Bobby, I belly laughed at your opening post more than a few times while I read it. Even though I didn't need to tell you that, I am sorry. This is a very blunt post and I do not mean any disrespect.

...What the others said. The things you see on TV are usually scrutinized a lot during editing. Even if they did think that you were too old, and/or didn't fit in, it's not age discrimination. If the episode was about older people who had riding coasters as a hobby, they would edit the younger people out instead.

And this is going to sound harsh, but maybe they saw something that they didn't like while reviewing the footage for editing. Maybe you have an annoying laugh, or maybe your mascara was running and it looked goofy. Or maybe it was something a little less silly like maybe the wind was messing up your hair too much and it was distracting, for example.

Film crews and "the talent" don't usually want to speak to the extras. It's nothing personal. They just don't have time to talk to everyone. They are at work; they don't have time to make friends with everyone who thinks that their job is cool.

It sounds like you have some regrets in life. We all do. If you want to be on TV, then study acting or whatever a little bit and get yourself on TV. I see ads on Craigslist for actors all the time. You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.So simmer down and shrug your shoulders. It seems to have hurt your feelings, but it's really not that big of a deal.

Now about me for a second... I have a few friends in the entertainment business who are always asking me if I want to be in a movie or help with writing or whatever they are working on. I always turn them down, but this topic has got me thinking maybe I should do it.

Dude, You ugly! Or are just a figure to fill the train.

To be fair, You sign off that they can use your image any way they want to, OR NOT. All the shoots I was in, I think I was visible for two frames in a SOB segment. I don't care, I was there to have fun. Got 37 rides that day and had a blast with a couple friends who also attended.

Other shoots I got one ride. Some shoots we had a hundred people. Others we couldn't fill the train and park employees and camera crew filled in with suits and tiesThe park in our case chose who they wanted on camera. Some of the others got interviews that were approved by the park.

Put it this way, Does that Quarter Pounder that you buy actually look the same as whats on the advertisement/poster/ commercial?

Usually the perks of the shoots made up for any *feeling used* Everthing from mass rides, free days at the park, Park cash Some great and some not so great lunch's and the occasional On TV moment. But all in all it was about being around friends for the day.

Theres a lot of things not well known such as the parks sometime pay to have their park or ride showcased on the shows thus in effect the network profits from both the shooting and any advetising they can sell for the shows. Don't think so, Most non Nascar racing and other sports do the same and buy the network time.. The shoots are nothing more than five minute commercials for the park/ride and IMAGE is everything.

Blunt but not meant to be insulting. If you cant go, Have fun and want to help the park. Then don't volunteer. Sorry you feel slighted but like I said, Probably ten shoots I've been on and I got a tenth of a second TV time and had a blast on all of them.

Edited for this: I just seen the ICW segment for Diamondback and I seen no less than five friends, four had short interviews and a couple of them are not even close to the upper teen mold. So it probably just comes down to who's in charge of what and where? If your well known by the parks Marketing/PR Head and other things. They'll often put what appears to be father and child (Even if they don't know each other) together.

Raven-Phile said:

My guess? You're overreacting, and/or you looked directly into the camera lens during the shoot. That is the ultimate no-no.

Unless you're Carol Burnett. :~P

Trying to find *that* Family Guy clip, I found out Carol Burnett actually sued Family Guy over the episode. Lost her sense of humor?

Wait! Are you guys telling me TV isn't real life?

Apparently it's life where you can advertise your six pack to the world every other second when your shirt is ripped off of you on a coaster called Skyrush at Hersheypark. And I'd bet money Travel Channel wouldn't cut those scenes out.